


Spirits

by Windify



Series: The Katana Chronicles [8]
Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Brothers, Domestic Fluff, Dragons, Family Feels, Fluff, Gen, Good Parent Splinter (TMNT), Play Fighting, Protective Leonardo (TMNT), Turtle Pile (TMNT)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:48:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29151492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Windify/pseuds/Windify
Summary: “I fear they are doing something they shouldn’t be doing.”Casey rolled his eyes. “I’m sure it’s nothin’.” Silence fell over the farmhouse again and both concerned adults looked at each other while Casey groaned: “You’re gonna track ’em down, aren’t ya?”“Definitely,” April nodded. “With everything that happened with the Ninja Tribunal and the Shredder, I just want to know they’re okay.”
Relationships: Donatello & Leonardo & Michelangelo & Raphael & Splinter (TMNT), Donatello & Leonardo & Michelangelo & Raphael (TMNT)
Series: The Katana Chronicles [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2099514
Comments: 18
Kudos: 32





	Spirits

**Author's Note:**

> Set in the 2003 universe after “The Lost Episodes” because I absolutely adore the turtles as dragons.
> 
> Also, not Leo-centric, but I don’t want to have million series. So everything TMNT related will be in The Katana Chronicles. (Although Leo-centric works will still dominate.)

“So I’m not the only one who wonders why they want to go here so often if they just disappear the second we arrive.”

Splinter glanced at April, brow furrowed. “Sometimes I think I couldn’t know my sons more,” he said slowly. His eyes roved around around the empty space of the farmhouse’s frontyard. “But right now, I’m groping in the dark, and it’s making me question myself.”

“They’re teenagers, Master Splinter,” Casey called, walking out of the barn to join them on the porch. “And brothers. They’re required to have secrets or act weirdly.”

The mutant rat took a few seconds to consider it, but it was April who shook her head: “I may not know them as long as Master Splinter, but something here doesn’t fit. I mean, yes, they run away without telling anyone where they’re going often, but this is whole another thing. We’ve been here nearly every weekend for the past month and a half.”

“And every time, they are nowhere to be seen,” Splinter added. “I fear they are doing something they shouldn’t be doing.”

Casey rolled his eyes. “I’m sure it’s nothin’.” Silence fell over the farmhouse again and both concerned adults looked at each other while Casey groaned: “You’re gonna track ’em down, aren’t ya?”

“Definitely,” April nodded. “With everything that happened with the Ninja Tribunal and the Shredder, I just want to know they’re okay.”

“How da ya even want to find them?”

Splinter whipped his tail. “They are my sons,” he reminded him. “I am sure I can find them.” At least he hoped so. They’ve got better at hiding from him over the years, much more better and he didn’t know if he should be proud or wary about his sons’ antics.

Thinking about it like that, he definitely should check on them. Honestly, he should have done it much earlier. Who knows what they were up to – he certainly didn’t and, remembering all the trouble they got themselves into when they had done something he told them not to do… Why was he still standing on the same spot and not already on the move?

He walked down the stair with April by his side and Casey immediately stopped doing whatever he was doing. “Hey, wait for me!”

April raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you say they are allowed to have their own secrets?”

“Well yeah but that doesn’t mean I don’t wanna know.”

Splinter chuckled. Casey reminded him of Raphael so often and this was one of the times. He hadn’t expected anything other from him, knowing very well that no matter his words, the vigilante would join them.

“The good thing is they didn’t get the car,” April said, nodding towards the lifeless vehicle. “Which means they can’t be that far, right?”

Casey frowned. “They still have half a day head-start.”

April paused in thought for a few seconds. “They can’t be that far. After all, they still have to hide from people.”

“That’s still a lot of land. Far and wide isn’t anyone else apart from us.”

“Are you coming with me, or do you plan on standing there all day and argue?” Splinter asked amusedly, already on the edge of the forest surrounding the farm. April and Casey stopped, cheeks red with embarrassment before Casey April grabbed a backpag filled with some supplies for a one-day track. So she already knew they will try to find them.

They quickly catched up with Splinter, following his lead. The four turtle brothers always packed up stuff for camping for three days; disappearing on Friday afternoon after they had arrived on the farm and reappearing on Sunday before noon.

In the end, it wasn’t that hard to find them. Splinter was connected with his sons on a very deep spiritual level, so he used their bond to track them down. Both humans had full fight in his “dad sense” as they liked to call it.

It took them half a day to find them. They heard them before they saw them, but something was very, very different. Instead of typical arguing, laughing or even yelling, they heard animalistic roaring echoing through the forest.

When they first heard the sound, they all froze because it had came from above.

“I may be wrong,” Casey started slowly, “but I feel like I’ve heard this sound before.”

April nodded, brow furrowed. “You’re not the only one, Casey. If this means what I think it means…”

“Then we should be looking up at the sky,” Splinter finished.

It was obvious that they all thought the same thing. And they were proved right when, after a few minutes of walking towards the sound, the sky darkened and a large shadow flew right above them, followed by other three. They quickly ducked behind the trees, excitedly looking up.

Four dragons cruised they sky, flying fast, turning sharply, following and crashing into each other, roaring with joy.

“What’re they doin’?” Casey hissed, looking starstrucked.

Splinter blinked, watching his sons in their dragon forms. “They are playing,” he breathed out.

The green-blue dragon, Leonardo, stopped mid-air. The eldest screamed and it was probably an order because the other three dragons immediately turned and headed to the same spot, landing on a clearing just a few hundred meters away.

Without debating or waiting, Splinter, Casey and April ran after them. They hid between the trees, on the edge of the large glade.

The dragons had already landed. Michelangelo, the only dragon without a tail, was weaving between his brothers’ tail, especially nudging Raphael’s two tails. Donatello flicked his slim, serpentine body, tripping Mikey’s legs and Leonardo just moved his wings a little to stop his youngest brother from falling on his snout.

Raph hissed, his own wings flittering. He was laughing, Splinter realized. The rat had to smile. Even in this forms, his sons were still the same.

Michelangelo was on his feet again, staring at Raphael who didn’t look like bothered, at least until the green-orange jumped at him and they both fell down on Donatello, who squeaked, unable to get away from beneath the two. This time, it was Leonardo who laughed, head bent backwards and bright eyes shining more than before.

The red dragon growled and, with Michelangelo still on top of him, lifting his paw and nearly impaling the eldest brother with his sai-like spine, but Leo dodged quickly. Leo watched them for a few seconds before used his snout to show Mikey off of Raphael.

Don and Raph stood up, but Mikey rolled on the ground, curling against Donatello’s body. The purple dragon immediately wrapped around him, shaking his head. Then Mikey whined at which his older brothers hissed something, clearly talking.

Leonardo shushed them – at least it looked like it – and Raphael huffed, but not even a second later he laid down next to his brothers, using his size to enclose them.

Only then Leo laid down too, body clinging to Raph and tail wrapped aroun them all in circle. They saw the other three turtle dragons relax as Leonardo unfolded his wings so they were covering younger brothers like a shield. By the way their breathing slowed down, they were quickly falling asleep, if not sleeping already.

Splinter’s heart melted at the sight. April even cooed quietly.

“They’re so cute it makes me wanna cry,” Casey whispered. “That’s not fair.” Yet he pulled out his phone and snapped a picture (or two or six) of them together.

“I didn’t know they can still do this without the medallions,” April said in a low voice.

“Neither did we.”

April and Casey yelped at the new unexpected voice, franticly turning around. But Splinter stayed calm as he had recognized the energy and voice of his old friend.

The Ancient One stood just a couple steps away from them, watching the dragons as well. He smirked at them. “The Ninja Tribunal has sensed their transformations the first time after Shredder’s defeat. When they didn’t stop, they sent me to inspect it.”

Splinter nodded, returning his attention to his sons. “They still manage to surprise me.”

“I think they surprise everyone, Splinter,” Ancient One chuckled.

No one could disagree. Watching his sons, Splinter understood why they wanted to go outside the city so often and so much. He could feel their spirits, strong and happy and so incredibly full of brotherly love.

“We should not be here,” he realized suddenly.

April frowned. “What? Why?”

Casey was quick to catch up. “Because it’s private, Ape. They have a reason to go alone.”

“Come,” Splinter waved his hand. He turned his back towards the dragons, knowing he had to go now, or else he won’t be able to leave. “Will you go with us, Ancient One?”

“If it’s not too much trouble.”

They moved, although unwillingly. Yet Splinter couldn’t resist himself, he looked over his shoulder after a few steps and froze when he saw that Leonardo’s eyes were open and he was looking right at him.

His eldest son watched him for a while, before he closed his eyes again and burried his snout under Donatello’s paw.

Splinter breathed out, smiling for himself. He wondered how long had Leonardo known they were here, but it didn’t matter because he didn’t say anything. The wordless conversation the two just had was more than telling that no boundaries had been crossed.

No, Splinter didn’t have to worry. As long as his sons are together, they will be alright.

**Author's Note:**

> Anyway, I’ve already started writing another fic with their dragon forms. Because I love that trope and I will die for the 2003 show, the 1-5 series. (I didn’t like the Fast Forward and BTTS, to be honest.)


End file.
